Country(ies): Egypt
Tour type: Small Group
Group size: Min: 2 | Max: 10
Accommodation: 5-star deluxe cruise boat
Meals:
Transport: A/C minibus/coach & 5-star deluxe cruise boat
Highlights: Pyramids, Sphinx, Egyptian Museum, Tuna al Gebel, Tel el Amarna, Beni Hassan, Abydos, Dendera, Valley of the Kings, Temple of Karnak, Edfu, Komombo, Philae Temple
This iconic tour allows you to sail all the way from the Pyramids and Sphinx in Cairo, south to the main Nile cruising section of the river between Luxor and Aswan.
The lower parts of the Nile between Cairo and Abydos were closed to Nile cruisers for many years, and still only a handful of boats and departures run all the way from Cairo to Luxor each year. This tour offers you an exciting opportunity to be one of the few to enjoy this long sail and to visit sites such as Tel Amarna, Beni Hassan and Hermopolis which are rarely visited by tourists. The cruise also passes through some of the Nile Valley's most rural areas where you can see typical Egyptian life pass you by on the banks of the river the parts of the Nile After reaching Luxor, the river becomes much busier as you visit the west bank sites of the Valley of the Kings, Queen Hatchepsut Temple and the Colossi of Memnon. East bank visits in Luxor include Karnak and Luxor temples. You then continue south past Edfu and Komombo temples before arriving at your final destination, Aswan. There are more sites to see here including the beautiful island temple of Philae, and an optional tour to the temples of Abu Simbel which were dismantled and rebuilt when Lake Nasser was flooded.
The tour finishes with a transfer to Aswan airport to fly home (normally via Cairo). However we can extend the tour with more time in Aswan, back in Cairo, or by adding a Red Sea extension. Shorter sections of the cruise from Cairo-Luxor (12 days), Aswan-Cairo (13 days) and Luxor-Cairo (10 days) are also available on connected dates - please ask for details.
Due to continuing low tourist numbers to Egypt, please confirm availability and operation of the cruise boat with us before booking any international flights.
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Cruise Boat Gala Dinners
Many of Egypt's hotels and Nile cruise boats arrange a very special gala dinner with entertainment in the evening on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. Payment for these is often optional on Christmas Eve (24 Dec) but may be compulsory on New Year's Eve (31 Dec), whether you attend or not. Prices can range from around US$50 to over US$150 per person. Final decisions on prices and whether dinners are compulsory are made relatively close to the time. We aim to always select hotels that make their Gala Dinners optional, though this is not always possible. Gala dinner prices are therefore not included in our prices above, but will be added to your booking if they become required. More information is available on request.
Prices are based on 2 people sharing a twin/double cabin on either the main 2nd or 3rd decks. Upgrades are available on request to guarantee an upper (3rd) deck cabin or one of the suites on board. Discounts are often available - please contact us.
The hotels and accommodations listed below are the ones we most often on this tour. From time to time we may exchange these for similar properties at the same level. In general, specific hotels cannot be guaranteed on our group tours, but you may select your preferred options if you are booking a tailor-made trip.
M/S Darakum - 5-star luxury level
Cairo-Aswan
The MS Darakum is a luxury 5-star cruise boat operating on the Nile between Luxor and Aswan. It has 44 cabins and 8 suites, featuring river views and private bathrooms. On-board facilities include a bar, restaurant, pool, and gym.
Our tours are designed to include all that you need to enjoy a really special time in the destination youre visiting. However, we do also offer some extra options to complement the tour and add some additional sightseeing or activities, or some extra time at either end of the tour.
All accommodation based options (e.g. Single supplements, extra nights, cruise upgrades) should be booked and paid for in advance so that we can make the appropriate arrangements. Other options may either be booked and paid for in advance or while you are on the tour, though we recommend booking in advance to ensure there are no issues with availability.
Many options are priced the same throughout the year, but some may incur single or high season supplements - full details are given on the tour reservation form or on request.
The detailed Tour Notes below have been written to give you some more detailed information about how the tour runs, what to expect, and how to prepare for your holiday. We recommend downloading an up to date copy of these shortly before you travel in case of any changes.
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Long Nile Cruise & Country Reviews
Product Review
Posted 29th of Mar 2019
Important Egyptian sites were available to visit. They were visited.
Product Review
Posted 27th of Mar 2019
This was a great trip and worth every penny. Our Egyptologist tour guide was 'Big Mo' which made all the difference. He was knowledgeable, kind, and hospitable. He made sure we had a solid introduction to each tour site and then was available for more detailed information if we wanted. Book a tour with 'Big Mo' if at all possible!
Product Review
Posted 27th of Mar 2019
Excellent value—I purchased it initially on Groupon and Encounters Travel allowed us to make additions.
Product Review
Posted 26th of Mar 2019
Excellent tour. From the moment we landed in Cairo until we left, we were well taken care of. We experienced so much of Egypt -- from temples and pyramids and tombs to a bonfire dinner and sing-a-long on an island. Our guide (Waleed) was exceptional. His love and knowledge of Egypt was evident throughout the tour. He helped Egypt come alive for us. We were very pleased with the tour.
Product Review
Posted 26th of Mar 2019
Perfect adventure! Food, Tours, Service, Guides, even transportation!
Product Review
Posted 26th of Mar 2019
With all we did and the amount of travel, I was shocked at how cost effective the tour company made it. You get your money's worth after you think about busses, felucca sailboat, overnight train, hotel rooms, and the amazing tour guide.
Product Review
Posted 17th of Jan 2019
Great value for the price!
Product Review
Posted 17th of Jan 2019
Great value for the price!
Product Review
Posted 7th of Jan 2019
My Egyptian tour was the trip of a lifetime, The Egyptian and Nubian people were friendly and welcoming. The food and hotels were fantastic and the country of Egypt was stunning!!!
Product Review
Posted 6th of Jan 2019
All the sights were great and our tour guide explained and told History on all we saw.
Product Review
Posted 5th of Jan 2019
Worth every penny! Go to Egypt with Encounters Travel!
Product Review
Posted 4th of Jan 2019
Really enjoyed the various excursions especially the overnight felucca, hot air balloon, abu simbel and Camel ride against the pyramids
Product Review
Posted 3rd of Jan 2019
The tour for the price was EXCELLENT!
Product Review
Posted 3rd of Jan 2019
The price was great and the people wonderful!
Product Review
Posted 2nd of Jan 2019
Bucket list experience. A must.
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